Elevate Your Small Bathroom Design: Expert Tips for a Brighter, Airier Space
Embracing the challenge of designing compact bathrooms can lead to stunning results, transforming limited space into a realm of brightness and openness. Discover our exclusive insights to maximize your bathroom’s potential and turn it into an enjoyable retreat.
Banish Clutter, Embrace Functionality
Irrespective of your bathroom’s size, clutter is the ultimate space invader. The silver lining? An array of innovative solutions, from thoughtfully designed vanity storage to discreet medicine cabinets, is now at your fingertips. This array of options lets you keep your daily essentials within arm’s reach while maintaining a tidy ambience. View our vanity range here
Go Compact, Amplify Performance
When it comes to optimizing small bathrooms, compact fixtures reign supreme. Our HydroRail showers and wall-hung toilets redefine the concept of space efficiency. The best part? Their small stature doesn’t compromise performance or luxury, ensuring a seamless blend of functionality and style.
Liberate Floor Space, Enhance Cleanliness
Unlock newfound spaciousness with space-saving choices like alcove showers and wall-hung fixtures like vanities and toilets. This ingenious approach not only expands visual space but also simplifies cleaning. Elevate this transformation by opting for a single hole or wall-mount faucet, further decluttering your countertop.
Master the Art of Illusion
While physically enlarging your bathroom may be challenging, creating an illusion of space is well within your reach. Employ the magic of oversized wall coverings to expand the perception of your bathroom. Consider the allure of a mirrored wall, embrace the drama of large-scale patterned wallpaper, or indulge in the impact of expansive tiles, all of which bestow an enchanting grandeur upon your space.
Play With Shapes
Rethink your space by opting for a sliding bath or shower door, or choose products with unique shapes, such as the Veil Lithocast Freestanding Bath, with a familiar footprint but offering more generous interior space.
Transform your small bathroom into a sanctuary where every inch is optimized for comfort, aesthetics, and functionality. Elevate your design with Kohler New Zealand, where innovation meets elegance to craft spaces that inspire.
Create the Guest Bathroom of Your (and Their) Dreams With KOHLER
As a gracious host, you understand the importance of making your guests feel truly welcome and comfortable. While preparing the kitchen and living areas is essential, don’t forget the most intimate space in the house— the bathroom. At KOHLER, we believe in providing your guests with an unforgettable experience, and that starts with a well-designed guest bathroom. Here are our top four tips to create a space your guests won’t want to leave.
1. Provide Luxury Toiletries
Treat your guests to a 5-star hotel experience by offering a selection of luxury toiletries in your guest bathroom. Invest in quality hand soaps and hand creams, choose neutral colours and comforting scents. Consider stocking up on shampoos, conditioners and body wash your always prepared for overnight guests should plans change. Keep in-shower toiletries like shampoo and body wash organized on sleek shower shelves for easy access during bathing. Opt for eye-catching baskets or acrylic drawer dividers for post-shower supplies to maintain a polished and organized look.
2. Introduce Proper Lighting
Make sure your guests have the perfect lighting for their morning and evening routines. Flattering, functional, and stylish lighting is key to setting the right ambience. Overhead and vanity lighting should offer a warm and low-intensity glow. Choose warm white lighting to create a welcoming atmosphere.
Our ModernLife Toilet with Elite seat provides a night light and fragrance functions that make it the perfect addition to your guests space. VIEW HERE
3. Offer Ample Bathroom Space
Ensure your guests have enough space to comfortably navigate their bathroom routines. Even in a small bathroom, efficient use of space can provide ample storage and functionality. Consider the following options to maximize space:
- The Terrace Vanity comes equipped with an accessories drawer and a spacious base drawer with a solid hardwood interior. VIEW HERE
- Add hooks and towel racks for convenient storage. VIEW HERE
- Minimize counter and floor decor, keeping the space clutter-free
4. Install Spa-Like Showerheads
Upgrade your guest bathroom with a modern showerhead to create a luxurious and spa-like bathing experience. Explore our range of showerheads, handshowers, and body sprays that fit your style. Place them at a height suitable for various guests to ensure comfort. For the ultimate indulgence, consider a duet showerhead for a rain shower experience. VIEW HERE
Kohler Unveils Collaboration with Daniel Arsham; 99 Piece Limited Edition 3D-Printed Sink to Launch in December
Kohler announces a collaboration with contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. Bringing together creative innovation and expert craftsmanship, Kohler and Arsham have designed a one-of-a-kind limited-edition 3D-printed sink entitled Rock.01 that will debut at Design Miami/ 2021, featured in the company’s and Arsham’s co-created space at the fair. Rock.01 is crafted in Kohler, Wisconsin and will be available for purchase in December in an edition of 99.
Like much of Arsham’s work, Rock.01 is an homage to time. Comprised of 3D-printed vitreous china and hand-poured brass, the sink’s vessel blends modern-day technology with Kohler’s nearly 148-year manufacturing legacy into what can only be described as functional high art. The effects of time are reflected in the patina of the brass “rock” and achieved through a forced coercion process.
Kohler’s revolutionary method of 3D-printing vitreous china is at the forefront of innovation in the industry, and the technology itself is what made it possible to produce Daniel’s design which was too complex to produce using traditional methods.
“Rock.01 melds the future of 3D-printing technology with the most basic methods of hand-cast brass. It is literally the new resting on top of the old, and I find that incredibly poetic. Kohler was the ideal partner to bring such a complex and futuristic design to life,” said Arsham.
Arsham’s collaboration with Kohler reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to the arts. Since 1873, Kohler’s mission has been to contribute to gracious living through the highest level of design, craftmanship, and innovation.
Arsham will join David Kohler, President and CEO of Kohler Co., at the Kohler Living digital event on Nov. 4 to discuss how technology and digital media are creating new opportunities for expression and feature an overview of this collaboration. For more information and to register to attend: living.kohler.com.
KOHLER Products & Water Safety Standards
KOHLER is committed to developing high-quality bathroom products which improve the lives of kiwis, and customers around the world.
Concern and awareness of heavy metals (including lead) in household water supply is growing as water networks age, and consumers demand higher quality.
Our products are independently tested to ensure they meet or exceed international standards.
Product testing
All KOHLER kitchen & basin mixers sold in New Zealand are independently tested, Watermark certified, and comply with the following standards:
- AS/NZS 3718-2005 Water supply – Tapware
- AS/NZS 4020-2018 Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water
- AS 2345-2006 Dezincification resistance of copper alloys
- AS/NZS 3499-2006 Water supply – Flexible hose assemblies
- AS/NZS 6400-2016 Water efficient products – Rating and labelling
AS/NZS 4020-2018 is of particular relevance as it specifies a maximum allowable lead concentration of 10 µg/L.
The only exception to this testing schedule above is our new KOHLER Malleco Touchless Kitchen Mixer, which complies with the following standards:
- GB 18145-2014 Ceramic Cartridge Faucets
- AS/NZS 6400-2016 Water efficient products – Rating and labelling
GB 18145-2014 specifies a maximum allowable lead concentration of 5 µg/L. This is the same as US standards, and is more stringent than New Zealand’s standard (AS/NZS 4020-2018).
Live with Confidence
Kiwis can be confident that KOHLER tapware exceeds New Zealand’s water safety standards.
KOHLER has a strong commitment to water quality and water conservation, in addition to the independent testing, KOHLER has received multiple awards for water conservation by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
KOHLER Partners with Saint Kate Hotel on Custom Basins
Saint Kate hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA worked alongside the “KOHLER Create’ team to design meaningful, custom basins in their 2019 renovation.
Saint Kate’s Leopard Bedroom Suite
This major upgrade transformed the 1987 built hotel into Milwaukee’s first Visual Arts hotel.The hotel’s idea of offering new experiences to broaden people’s ways of looking at the world was very much in line with Kohler’s vision through design, and innovations such as Kohler’s WasteLab. The latter, more like a studio with craftsmen than a factory – takes waste materials and recycles them into things of beauty, like their hand made range of crackle tiles made from porcelain scraps. These tiles were used in the hotel bar/dining area.
The Hotel Bar on the ground floor
The black and white ribbon, part of Saint Kate’s visual signature for fluidity was one of the ideas developed further by KOHLER and incorporated by hand onto the Veil basin, creating a design story of both inspiration and the journey involved in creating this piece of ‘art’.
KOHLER Veil Basin with ribbon motif
Like Saint Kate, they looked at the possibilities of how to make something special that was more than ‘just a basin’. The result installed into the hotel’s 219 rooms is special for Saint Kate, special for KOHLER and special for the customers using them.
See the whole design story video here.
Super Advanced Intelligent Toilet Takes Out CES 2020 Innovation Awards
The Numi 2.0, Kohler’s most advanced intelligent, voice-activated toilet, has been honoured with an innovation award at this year’s (2020) CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. The annual event, recognised as the world stage for innovation, attracted more than 4,500 brands showcasing their latest technology-driven consumer products – and from these the Numi 2.0 was selected as a recipient of the innovation award.
Key to Numi 2.0’s success is the Kohler Konnect app and embedded Amazon Alexa for easy voice control of personal-care functions and features, as well as access to personal playlists and tens of thousands of skills such as checking the weather, the traffic, accessing news etc. In short, Numi 2.0, a toilet and bidet in one, delivers complete hands-free control of a personal care experience that has been fine-tuned to the user’s exact preferences – from ambient lights, heated seat and preferred cleansing functionality, to choice of music and air/water temperatures.
Sustainability credentials are also impressive with the toilet being one of the most water-efficient available – a mere 3L/3.8L flush. A real life example of life with Numi 2.0 is a night time visit, whereby the integrated nightlight will guide you while the lid opens automatically to reveal a ready-warmed seat. When you walk away, the toilet flushes and the lid closes.
The Numi 2.0’s dynamic multi-coloured lighting and audio enhancements (via waterproof speakers offering exceptional sound quality), create a unique experience for homeowners – users simply voice-activate their profile and/or preferences on entering the bathroom. Features of Numi 2.0, with Kohler Konnect, can be controlled through voice-command, the Kohler Konnect app, the remote or through internal sensors.
The Numi 2.0 by Kohler is currently unavailable in Australia and New Zealand.
It’s beginning to look like Christmas…
This is our 378th ‘traditional’ Christmas, if the history books are correct. So what has changed? In 1642, Abel Tasman and his crew were believed to be the first to celebrate Christmas in New Zealand, and they did so by feasting on pork and extra rations of wine! Captain James Cook is the next notable to celebrate in the land of the long white cloud, and he did things slightly differently when, in 1769, he and his crew celebrated with a meal of ‘goose pye’ – made with gannet – for Christmas dinner! So what has changed since 1642?
Perhaps the two most iconic elements of a New Zealand Christmas today are the irresistible Pavlova, made with kiwi fruit, strawberries and cream plus the striking, and much-loved, Pohutukawa or NZ Christmas tree. Common to both are the vibrant and festive reds of the Pohutukawa and strawberries as well as the lush greens of the tree’s foliage and our very own Kiwi fruit! Both play a significant role in Kiwi Christmas celebrations throughout the land.
When decorating your home for the festivities, this colour scheme could, perhaps, form the basis of the rest of your colour scheme. In addition to the traditional Christmas tree, consider introducing fresh foliage or potted plants to living areas, bedrooms and bathrooms. Placing a few bushy potted plants in guest rooms and bathrooms – complete with minimal festive decorations, can ensure the celebratory spirit is felt throughout the home, for guests as well as family members.
Smell is just as much a part of our sensory perception as vision – candles, fresh flowers, ripe fruit and oven-baked cakes and tarts all contribute that magical aroma associated with celebration and festive good will.
While Christmas trees, turkey, prawns, pavlova, and Christmas crackers are the quintessential festive ingredients of a Kiwi Christmas, there is a relative newcomer to the scene. Our concern for our planet has cast a spotlight on sustainability – and retailers and consumers are both seeking out more sustainable decorations and Christmas crackers, opting for paper, timber or recycled materials instead of plastics.
Reach for the new generation compact toilet suite
New generation toilets are ‘flush’ with style, shape and comfort together with higher levels of water efficiency and easy-clean features.
Kohler’s new Reach II back-to-wall toilet suite packs a lot of innovation into a compact design that shaves up to 70mm off the length (protrusion from the wall) of conventional models.
Designed for both new builds and renovations the Reach II’s 4 star WELS rating (4.5/3.5L) ensures it is well within new build codes while its 610mm projection from the wall makes it a preferred choice for more compact spaces.
The Reach II’s short projection (front to back) makes it the perfect choice for small spaces!
Featuring contemporary flared straight skirt and clean lines, the Reach II has the highest hygiene credentials with the Kohler HygieneMax rimless pan technology delivering a robust, double wash-down with optimal coverage of the interior bowl.
There is a choice of two comfortable seat designs, the low profile Slim and the more seamless Wrap Over seat. Each seat is quiet close with vertical quick release operation – meaning the seat can be quickly detached with a ‘one-hand lift’ for fast and easy cleaning.
The Reach II with Slim Seat
The Reach II with traditional wrap seat
For renovators the Reach II is truly versatile, with both P-trap and S-trap vario connection.
In Full Bloom! 17th Century Dutch Masters for the bathroom!
Kohler has released its latest collection of Artist Editions basins with four models inspired by the Dutch Masters of the 17th century and aptly called the Dutchmaster Collection. This is truly art in the bathroom in the most lush, dramatic way!
Two separate designs, Blush Floral and Midnight Floral, are available in either a round or rectangular vessel basin.
Blush Floral is a vivid mass of large scale peonies, dahlias, ranunculus and hydrangeas in lush colours of blush pink, ivory and darkest rose on an onyx background. And for delicate relief? A beautiful, Painted Lady butterfly poised on a single stem.
Midnight Floral is deeper, moodier and brimming with intense colour – purples, dusky pinks and violet blues – dramatically lit in the style of a chiaroscuro painting. Capturing the movement and lush beauty of heady blooms, the design is further enhanced with the perfect depiction of a blue swallowtail butterfly.
Kohler’s Dutchmaster collection was created in collaboration with florography artist Ashley Woodson Bailey who is renowned for her hauntingly beautiful floral photography.
Ashley Woodson Bailey
The vessel basins have been designed to sit proud of the vanity and feature a subtle, defining lift at the edge of the bowl. They can be paired with wall mount or bench mount mixer taps – and due to their rich colouring will suit many of Kohler’s metal finishes, from polished and rose gold to vibrant brushed bronze, titanium and brushed nickel.
These beautiful, full bloom works of art are featured on two styles of basin – the Carillon rectangle Wading Pool and the Carillon Round Wading Pool.
Dutchmasters Rectangular Blush Floral
Wellness design for the bathroom
Biophilic bathroom design – it’s a term we will hear a lot more about! It is the art of improving our health and well-being by introducing a closer connection between people and nature in the bathing space. It can be as simple as using natural materials and surface finishes such as stone, marble and timber or as complex as constructing large skylights that open to the sky or full length glass bringing the greenery of the outside in.
Biophilic design also encompasses light, smell, touch and sound – the natural light acquired by windows and skylights; the smell of flowers from a candle or an open window; the sight of a living green wall in a shower enclosure; and the touch of a rainshower on the skin after a long and tiring day.
According to Kohler, a global leader in bathroom design and innovation – the choice of bathroom fittings plays a major role in achieving the closeness to nature that can produce an increased sense of relaxation, rejuvenation and positivity in our state of mind.
The Exhale Slide Shower epitomises the reproduction of nature’s therapeutic powers in the bathroom. Designed to produce a rainshower experience the Exhale has a choice of four spray functions – full coverage, drenching rain, intense massage and silk. Even the spray face of the showerhead replicates the delicate nature of the petals of the dahlia flower.
The Exhale’s Katalyst technology has been developed by Kohler to replicate the large, full water droplets of a dense rainshower while still conserving water. It introduces 2.2 litres of air into every 9.4 litres of water and carries a 3 star WELS rating, using only 9 litres of water a minute.
A deep, long soak in a bath that will support and soothe the body is also integral to the biophilic bathing experience, especially if accompanied by soothing nature soundscapes, soft mood lighting and scented bush flower oils.
Kohler’s latest addition to its freestanding bath collection is the Veil bath, a deeply luxurious bath sculpted from Lithocast cast resin with an opulent 40cm soaking depth. It features supportive contours to cradle the body together with a sloped lumbar support.
The Veil is a visual statement like no other – the bath’s profile is one of flowing lines and perfectly balanced curves, sculpted simplicity in perfect lockstep with the most discerning contemporary style. It measures 1661mm x 933mm x 648mm.
Kohler’s Lithocast cast resin material is soft on the skin, lightweight and extremely easy to clean with its beautiful high-gloss finish.
And when looking for the visual talking point of any biophilic design bathroom, nothing says NATURE quite like the newly arrived Dutchmaster Collection of basins!
Big, bold, lush florals, dramatically enhanced by a deeply dark, moody background, adorn the entire surface of the basin’s interiors.
Blush Floral is a vivid mass of large scale peonies, dahlias, ranunculus and hydrangeas in lush colours of blush pink, ivory and darkest rose on an onyx background. And for delicate relief? A beautiful, Painted Lady butterfly poised on a single stem.
The vessel basins have been designed to sit proud of the vanity and feature a subtle, defining lift at the edge of the bowl. They can be paired with wall mount or bench mount mixer taps – and due to the basin’s rich colouring will suit many of Kohler’s metal finishes, from polished and rose gold to vibrant brushed bronze, titanium and brushed nickel.
These beautiful, full bloom works of art are featured on two styles of basin – the Carillon rectangle Wading Pool and the Carillon Round Wading Pool.
The clear message, says Kohler, when creating a bathing haven, is to look to Mother Nature for inspiration and Kohler for implementation!
Kohler is available from all major plumbing merchants nationwide.